The material is mounting, the teacher is adding information by the minute, and the test is in a day. The classroom has not been graced with your presence in more than a week, and you need to read two books, three chapters and 50 terms in a matter of hours. The eternal fear of a failing grade and underlying stress of procrastination and regret is becoming unbearable. You turn to the library for answers, hoping that within their sanguine walls exists an environment to excell. But there is just too much information and just too little time. But wait, you know of a pill that can solve all of your worries, a pill that can condense weeks of material into hours of studying, a pill that will deliver you your good grade, a pill entitled Adderall.
Adderall is a “study drug” that is more potent that Ritalin, and for this reason has become one of the more commonly abused prescription drugs on campuses across the nation. More than likely, as a student, you have been in a situation like the one described above. You have maybe pondered the option of taking a study drug. But whether or not you have taken Adderall or a similar drug, it is more than likely that you know someone who has. There is an ongoing trend among students in universities across the country to revert to study drugs when it becomes crunch time, and University of Wisconsin is no exception.
Adderall was initially developed to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD), but has become an inexpensive way for students without attention problems to intensely focus before a big test. However, many students know little about the drug, or its side affects, that they digest prior to studying. Its medical name is Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, which clearly denotes that it is an amphetamine. Amphetamines can be highly habit-forming, causing physical and psychological dependency.
According to webmd.com, an amphetamine is a “stimulant and appetite suppressant that stimulates the central nervous system by increasing the amount of certain chemicals in the body.” Nevertheless, many students overlook the effects of the drug and the fact that it is illegal without a prescription in order to attain an advantage over the material they are studying. Dr. Brian Berman, a professor of pediatrics at Kase Western Reserve University stated, “There are potential serious consequences of abusing ADD/ADHD drugs; often students simply do not appreciate how dangerous the abuse of prescription medication can be.”
Despite the lack of knowledge or legality in taking Adderall, many students feel no need to stop due to the incredible feelings while under its powers. Will, a UW junior, described the euphoric feelings of Adderall. “About a half an hour after consumption, it starts to kick in, and at its peak, you feel like the smartest human being on the face of the earth with an interest in everything; there is nothing that you can not learn in one sitting,” he said. With a mentality like this, does Adderall give an unfair advantage to those that take it?
“Its intention is to level the playing fields for people with ADD, and when it is used in this manner, it does not garner an unfair advantage,” Will said. However, Will seems to be an exception, as he is a student who has been diagnosed with ADHD and has a prescription to Adderall that is not abused.
“With a prescription, and instructions from a doctor, I am aware of the highly addictive nature and understand that it is wrong and dangerous for unprescribed students to abuse, and therefore I do not sell or distribute the pill to even my closest friends,” Will said.
But Will is an exception. Despite its illegal nature as a Schedule Two Narcotic (categorized with Percocet and Oxycontin) and the fact that its abuse is considered a federal offense, it is relatively easy to attain Adderall. How easy is it to get on campus, you may ask? One student that prefers to remain nameless said, “It is very easy to attain Adderall. It takes one or two phone calls and $3 to $5 a pill. For this price, it would be a disadvantage not taking it; you can slack off a little bit more on reading in classes, because you can fit all of it into two days of studying on Adderall. Most of the people with prescriptions don’t really need it; people are overprescribed, so why should I allow them to have an edge?”
But before you grab a pill using the same mentality as this to study for your next test, consider the lack of prescription and side effects: irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, restlessness, insomnia, dryness of the mouth, anxiety, mood swings and impotence. Think twice on your next search for an Adderall in fear of its side effects, illegality and addictive nature and wonder if you could have avoided it by managing your time better. After all, isn’t your health worth more than a grade?
Bradley Kessler (bekessler@ wisc.edu) is a junior majoring in English.
